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The key fact of Francesca da Rimini's life is a dynastic-political fact: Francesca was born into a family that aspired to dominion over Ravenna (and achieved it, in 1275); she married into a family that aspired to dominion over Rimini (they, too, succeeded, twenty years later, in 1295). According to the accounts that accreted around the spare nucleus in Inferno 5, Francesca entered into an adulterous love affair with Paolo Malatesta, third son of Malatesta da Verucchio, known as Paolo il Bello; she and Paolo were killed by Gianciotto, most likely between 1283 and 1286. The date of death must...

The key fact of Francesca da Rimini's life is a dynastic-political fact: Francesca was born into a family that aspired to dominion over Ravenna (and achieved it, in 1275); she married into a family that aspired to dominion over Rimini (they, too, succeeded, twenty years later, in 1295). According to the accounts that accreted around the spare nucleus in Inferno 5, Francesca entered into an adulterous love affair with Paolo Malatesta, third son of Malatesta da Verucchio, known as Paolo il Bello; she and Paolo were killed by Gianciotto, most likely between 1283 and 1286. The date of death must be inferred circumstantially, like every other event of Francesca's unrecorded life.